Another P&C parking one 😉

[WantedDeadorAlive]

The other P &Cparking thread reminded me to ask my WWYD question!

Our local Aldi is as expected very very popular and therefore very busy at evenings and weekends. Problem is that the car park is tiny- parks around 40 cars. All local roads have restrictions so that's not an option.

So getting back to my WWYD- after circling the car park numerous times waiting for a space to become available.... would you park in a p & c space if it was the only space that became available? This has happened to me before but my children are 10+ and I wouldn't normally park in one however, I have waited my turn like everyone else- possibly longer if they luckily found a space before me. There is no legal reason not to park in them but I agree there is a moral one!

WWYD in this situation?

If you live 5 minutes away, why on earth don't you walk

5 minutes away by car can easily be too far to walk. We have an Aldi on the outskirts of the small town which is otherwise surrounded by countryside. If I turned right out of our Aldi's car park and drove for 5 minutes, I'd be 4 miles away and at least 3 of those would have been driven down a busy A road with no pavement. Absolutely not walkable! If I turned left and went through the town then 5 minutes driving would still mean at least a mile and a half, maybe 2.

Why would you assume that '5 minutes away' means that the op could walk if she wanted to?

Yeah but you've got to be seen with the aforementioned wheelie bag

I wouldn't do it myself but I seriously wouldn't bat an eyelid at you doing it..the only reason I wouldn't is because I see so many threads like this and just know I'd be judged. I went to a local shopping centre yesterday with 2x 1 year olds. There are only 8 parent and child spaces, loads of disabled spaces and loads of normal spaces. I could see a man sitting in his car in the parent and child space with engine on, so I went to knock on his window and ask if he was leaving soon and he said no that his wife had gone in and he was going to meet her soon. I noticed there were no child seats in the car. I didn't say anything because as far as I'm aware, it isn't illegal! But it did annoy me a bit. Mainly because there were so many other spaces, including disabled ones (in case he was parking there die to disability). So, op I think there's a difference. Parking in one when there are no other spaces is different to parking in there without any other option!

SoupDragon "It's not, there is no set age. Once they can fasten their own seatbelt, so in a booster seat, there is no need to park in them"

That's not correct. There is a set age in the UK, but it depends on the child's height. Children must use a child car seat until they are 12 years old or until they are 135cm tall, whichever comes first.

my kids are 11 and 14 and I use them every time ...but hear me out.

DS1 has ASD and ADHD. He has low rate mobility DLA and high rate care, but doesn't qualify for a blue badge, and in short, he's a door flinger. He belts the door open as soon as I stop the car and I'm scared of him damaging someone else's car. SO we either park at the verges of the car park, where he's opening it into a bush, or we use the P and C parking.

theOnlyColditz - my Ds used to do this when small. I put the child locks on the doors.

I have child locks on the doors, unfortunately Ds1 is known undo them as he steps into the car. This is a child who managed to pick a deadlock with lego technics, and also rewhire an alarmed stairgate when he was 4,. I don't trust him. He's like an engineer aptitude in a chimp body

Maybe it's a time of day thing? You say it's most busy at evenings and weekends. So anyone with a young child I would guess is unlikely to be out after 7pm so maybe that's more acceptable. However at weekends definitely not as that's when most parents (especially working parents) will be out with kids in tow and will need the space. They may well of been circling around waiting for a P&C space to come free, I've done it and would be so upset if I saw one come free just to be taken by someone without children. If it's that busy it means it's even more likely to be impossible to get car seats out and steer children across a chaotic car park

Aslo if he feels trapped and the car isn't moving, he's able to put the window through ... I'm going to keep using the P and C parking

I would, and have.

Where I shop (in Australia) the P&C spaces are no bigger than normal spaces. They are simply closer to the store entrance. Their only benefit is that they save parents from walking an extra few metres.

I don't make a habit of it. But if the car park is absolutely heaving (at Christmas time, for example) and I've already waited ages, I'm not going to keep circling if a P&C comes available.

Park in the space, and then if any parent tries to have a cob-on at you about your outrageous defiance of the god given parental right, double-take the back seat of your car, put a massively shocked face on and yell

"OH MY GOD THE KIDS I LEFT THEM AT THE PLAYGROUND!"

Then hop in your car and leg it. Job done

To be clear: I'm not talking about a car park that is 'average busy', but 'I've done multiple laps, I'm running out of time and I'm going to give up and go home in a minute' busy.

justanotherposter sorry 5 miles not minutes!

No I didn't park there but thought a bit unfair when I had waited far, far longer!

socksnosandals this isn't the normal P&C parking thread- the other reminded me. I was just asking what would people do if it wa the only space available after a 20 min wait?

That's not correct. There is a set age in the UK, but it depends on the child's height

No, the child's height has no bearing on whether you can use a p&C parking space

Who could walk with £100 worth of Aldi shopping even if I had meant 5 minute walk? That's around 15 shopping bags

Personally I wouldn't park there, no.

12 is a bit old, but for the younger ones, it depends on your car. In some it's easy for a 3 or 4 year old to climb in their seat by themselves - and you can attach the seat belt from the front, in others they need to be carried, so you really need the space. When you have 2, you have to keep them with you and people don't realise how difficult it is to squeeze them both between cars to make sure they don't get run over.

The parking spaces in my local Aldi are ridiculously small, and people are forever complaining about their cars being damaged.

I would not use a P&C space just for convenience. Nothing wrong with a pregnant woman using them though.

There's no way I would wait 20 minutes for parking. I think you have to find a different time or place to do your shopping, even if this only happens one time in ten.

I'm sorry but if I want to shop no way I'm waiting or circling 20 minutes for a space if courtesy spaces (i.e. not disabled spaces) are available and then watch some p with an able bodied 12 year old just sail in. Fuck that. If stores are going to fine me for it, I'll shop at other stores. To me it's like the signs on buses that say 'give up this seat for elderly infirm passengers' you can still sit there just be prepared to give it up. It should be made clear those spaces should be left free for p&c unless no other spaces are available for other customers.

10 mile walk, 5 of it with shopping bags.....or have 'entitled' parent shout at me for 3 minutes...... I know which 1 seems easier

*That's not correct. There is a set age in the UK, but it depends on the child's height

No, the child's height has no bearing on whether you can use a p&C parking space*

When I asked someone (can't remember why now) I was told it was 12 years because of the car seat rule, although my 11yr nearly 12yr old would die of embarrassment if I parked in a P&C space for her. I think under 5 is more appropriate for most children under most circumstances.

ShotsFired I'm doing it!!

I would, have and wouldn't care if anyone else did.

I'd park there first time if the car park was busy, fuck circling 3/4 times.

It should be made clear those spaces should be left free for p&c unless no other spaces are available for other customers.

Feel free to make your own rules!